Wrench.



& s. SEPREC & J. A NOV/(K.

WRENCH.

APPLlCATlON FILED AUG.24, I915.

1,168,682. Patented Ja11.18,1916.

16 Fig. 3.

J6 Z6 32 t, i 11 J6 J8 miilllliik E UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

MAREK SETREC, STEVEN SEPBEC, AND JOSEPH A. NOVAK, OF CLARENCE, PENNSYL i 'VANIA.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J anQlS, 1916.

Application filed August 24, 1915. Serial No. 47,033.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that p we, MAREK Snrnno, STEVEN Serene, [LIlClJOSEPH A. Novix, citizens of the United States, residingat Clarence, in the county of Center and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wrenches.

The primary object of the present inven tion is to provide a wrench having a fixed inner jaw and a sliding outer jaw and in which the handle of the wrench constitutes a lever to cooperate with the sliding outer jaw so arranged as to permit the outer jaw to be moved inwardly toward the inner jaw when the said handle is moved into one position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrench that is extremely simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, the same including three elements, a handle, an inner jaw and supporting housing and outer jaw, and the wrench further includes a removable inner jaw plate that may be attached to the fixed inner jaw if desired, to enable the wrench to be used upon round work, such as pipes or rods.

WVith these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a wrench built in accordance with the present invention, with the inner jaw and supporting housing shown in section, better to illustrate the operation of the wrench. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the gripping handle in operative connection with the shank of the outer jaw, there also being shown in section a removable inner jaw plate, and, Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the wrench with the removable inner jaw in position thereon.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the reference numeral 9 designates in general a housing including a rear wall 10. I p

The reference numeral 11 designates similarly constructed sidewalls, the front end of the housing being open as is indicated but closed at its inner end by the cross strap 12. A fixed inner jaw 13 is carried by the outer end of the housing, an opening 14 being provided in the fixed inner jaw 13 for the reception of the shank of the sliding outer jaw. The opening 14: in the jaw 13 is rectangular in plan view and is adapted to slidably receive the shank 15 which carries the outer jaw 16. The shank 15 is rectangular in cross-section so that relative rotary movement of the shank and housing 9 is prevented. Rack teeth 17 are formed on the inner face of the shank 15 for the major portion of its length for purposes that will presently appear. A pair of cooperate ing lugs 18 is carried by the side walls 11 of the housing 9 and support a journal pin 19 upon which is pivoted the shank 20 of the operating handle 21. The outer end of the shank 20 is pivoted to the pin 19 and has an uninterrupted front face, the rear face of the shank 20 carrying a pair of spaced inwardly-directed shoulders 22 and 23 on the outer and inner sides respectively of the pivot point 19. The faces of the shoulders that oppose the rack teeth 17 of the shank 15 are serrated to provide teeth 24 that are adapted to engage the said shank teeth 17. hen it is desired that the wrench be used in connection with round work, such as pipes or rods, a removable inner jaw plate 25 may be mounted on the inner jaw 13, the said jaw plate including a roughened or toothed face opposing the jaw'l6 and carrying an angularly-disposed forward lip or lug 26 engaging and underlying the outer end of the inner jaw 13, it being noted that the jaw plate 25 has an opening 27 therein registering with and coincident to the opening 11 of the housing so that the shank 15 of the outer jaw may readily slide therethrough.

From the above detailed description of the invention it is believed that the operation will be readily apparent, it being noted that when the shank 20 of the handle is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the outer jaw and shank carried therebv will be permitted to freely slide in the housing 9.- After an and obviate injury to the contact teeth 24 and 17. When it is desired to release the wrench from an object, the handle 21 may be restored to the position shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the wrench handle 21 is provided with a longitudinal socket 28 in which a slidable'outer jaw and shankmay be received, the same being retained in position within the handle socket by a spring-clip29 carrying a pin 30 that is received in the socket 31 in the jaw shank 15. Y While the forms of the invention herein shown and described are what are believed to be the preferred embodiments thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

WVhat we claim as newis:

1. A wrench including a housing, a fixed inner jaw carried thereby, the front wall of said housing being open, an inner connecting strap for said housing, a shank slidably mounted Within said housing, a jaw carried by the outer end of said shank cooperating with the inner jaw, rack teeth formed on the inner face of said shank, a

pair of opposite lugs carried by the side walls of said housing, a transverse pin j ournaled in said lugs, a handle including a shank pivoted on: saidpin, a pair ofspaced and rea'rwardly-directed shoulders carried by said shank on the inner and outer sides of said pivot, teeth formed on the faces of said shoulders opposing the shank, said toothed shoulders being arrangedfor free disengagement from the shank when the handle is in central position, and a removable inner jaw plate mounted on the inner jaw and retained in position thereon by the sliding shank, the said handle adapted to be moved in opposite directions to cause the teeth of the handle shank shoulders to selectively engage the teeth on the outer sliding jaw shank to lock the jaws from move- Vment toward or from each other.

2. A wrench including a fixed inner jaw,

. a housing for supporting the same, an outer tures.

MAREK SEPREC. STEVEN SEPREO. JOSEPH A. NOVAK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. i 

